New computer processing systems require a more specialized product that optimizes space while packing in the most processors per “U” of a rack (1U=1.75 inches). Current blade servers can support approximately 120-190 CPUs per rack. Due to structural restrictions, current blade servers are unable to provide the extra processing capacity needed by the new processing systems. For example, current servers are incapable of supporting full height memory in a vertical orientation on a one system board. This limits memory capacity and increases customer costs since low profile memory provides less memory capacity at a greater cost.
Current servers have four CPUs in 1U rack mount servers. These 1U servers require, among other things, power supplies, banks of small fans, IO ports, and cable management equipment that limit cooling and power capacity as well as resulting in problems associated with, among other things, noise and structural issues, exhaust venting problems, and cabling problems.
Current servers (rack mount and/or blade style) are more “general purpose” and have arranged the electrical and mechanical features around more traditional configurations to balance cost, performance, serviceability and availability. By following the status quo of using only one system board in an enclosure the current marketplace is not able to provide operators the processing capacity they need. In addition, current solution rack mount servers are constrained by thermal, power, and cabling concerns that prevent them from being able to double the density within the enclosure. Therefore, current 1U servers and blades do not achieve the necessary density to solve the needs of the marketplace in data centers that have already been built. The latest processors per rack and the entire 1U server are packed. Thus, in order to compete with other servers and blade systems, it is necessary to increase CPU sockets per enclosure bay and bring cost metrics down and performance metrics up. It is for these reasons, that a device that allowed for increasing the processor per rack U-ratio would be an important improvement in the art.